Happy Birthday, Disney California Adventure!
Disneyland Resort’s second park opened on February 8, 2001, so DCA is 18 years young today!
After a rocky start, I think DCA has really come into its own. With the addition of Pixar Pier, Guardians of the Galaxy Mission Breakout, and now Marvel Land coming to the park, there’s so much to enjoy and to anticipate!
But today we wanted to celebrate this enterprising little park by sharing some of our favorite treats — old and new — to get at the snack locations and shops around DCA! Let us know which is YOUR favorite!
Hot Link Corn Dog and Cheese Stick Corn Dog — Corn Dog Castle
It’s not a visit to Disneyland Resort without stopping for a corn dog, and one of our favorite spots is Corn Dog Castle! Here you can get a traditional hand-dipped corn dog, but you can also order the Hot Link Corn Dog and the Cheese Stick Corn Dog. See our review here! The Hot Link is a spicy dog coated in classic corn batter. It’s delicious and packs a bit of a punch!
The Cheese Stick Corn Dog is exactly what you think: a stick of cheddar cheese that has been battered and deep fried. So indulgent, so cheesy, so dangerous, so delicious.
Potato Skins — Lamplight Lounge
The tasty potato skin pub snack has been reinvented at Lamplight Lounge on Pixar Pier, and we here for it! These Yukon Gold potatoes are served with Brown Butter-Caper Yogurt, Smoked Paprika Aioli, and Manchego Cheese. This is an outstanding and creative flavor combination — they’re so salty and rich. We’d celebrate DCA every day with these babies!
In fact, we loved them so much, we got the recipe! Click here to find out how you can make some at home!
Churro Toffee — Trolley Treats Candy Shop and Bing Bong’s Sweet Stuff
It’s no new thing to combine two favorite treats into one, but Trolley Treats Candy Shop and Bing Bong’s Sweet Stuff have made magic with its combination of a churro’s cinnamon sugary goodness and square of delicious toffee. See our review of this square of snacking happiness here!
It’s Snow-Capped Lemon — Adorable Snowman
What better way to celebrate DCA’s 18th birthday than with a frozen treat that’s straight from one of the park’s newest snack kiosks? It’s Snow-Capped Lemon is a lemon Dole Whip with a cap of white chocolate. It’s delicious, refreshing, and thematic — in a cone! Some might say that the parfait — with lemon dole whip and blue raspberry slush layered with a cherry on top — is more impressive. But I really liked the snow-capped lemon better!
Click here to see why we loved it so much — and to see what else the Adorable Snowman is churning out over on Pixar Pier!
Festival Food — DCA Food and Wine, Festival of Holidays, Lunar New Year, etc!
Here’s the thing: today might be DCA’s birthday, but this park parties almost year-round with festivals that celebrate food, wine, holidays, and more! We love eating our way through the DCA Food & Wine Festival every year. (The 2019 festival starts in a few weeks! Find out more here!) And we’re currently celebrating the Lunar New Year with food booths, specialty snacks, and Lunar New Year-themed entertainment! Click here to see how DCA is celebrating the start of the Year of the Pig! Bring on the specialty food and drink, including this sweet Purple Yam Macaron!
Join us as we raise a Cozy Cone and a dish of Filmstrip Fries (OH we totally should have included those in this list!) to Disneyland Park’s little brother! Happy anniversary, Disney California Adventure Park!
Celebrate Disney Parks news every day with the Disney Food Blog Newsletter! Click here to subscribe!
Check out more Disneyland Food Reviews Here!!
Check out EVERYTHING you need to know about Pixar Pier in the video below!
What’s your favorite treat in Disney California Adventure Park? Tell us in the comments!








Our handy (and portable!) ebook guides make sure you get the best deals and can plan a vacation of a lifetime.

TRENDING NOW
Disney just dropped the opening date for The Magic of Disney Animation!
Disney World just dropped a NEW ticket deal for just $109 per day!
Trust us, don't do these things in your Disney World hotel room!
We're in LOVE with this new popcorn bucket.
Disney World just announced a refurbishment coming to a value resort!
Alright, I'll admit it. I lost my MagicBand+ charger.
This water park upgrade at Disney World could save your day!
These American Disney rides will be closed at various points throughout the year.
Amazon is having a sale on gift cards from various retailers and you can save...
Disney just announced a new Dining Plan offer!
Heading to Disney and don't know if a backpack or crossbody bag is the way...
FIRST LOOK at who you'll be seeing at the brand NEW Princess Dining Experience at...
This is the Disney and Harry Styles collab we didn't know we needed!
Check out all the details for EPCOT's Garden Graze for 2026.
Disney just dropped NEW details about experiences coming to the Walt Disney Studios at Hollywood...
We've finally got a DATE for a big ride change coming to EPCOT!
Now that Rise of the Resistance is open in Disney World, there's been some problems...
Let's go to Tutto Italia Ristorante in EPCOT to find out if this restaurant should...
We recently ate at Saana, and here are the five things that you need to...
Join us at Nine Dragons Restaurant for eats and drinks!